United Nations Impact Report 2016

(UN Photo/Yubi Hoffman) In 2014, the UN issued over 30,000 accreditations for out of town visitors attending meetings and conferences, as well as issued 212,421 temporary passes for a variety of cultural events for New York City and non-New York City residents alike.

The Mayor’s Office for International Affairs, in collaboration with the New York City Economic Development Corporation, released the United Nations Impact Report 2016, an analysis that outlines the economic costs and benefits to New York City, based on data from 2014, due to the presence of the permanent headquarters of the United Nations and UN Community. The study presents the significant economic benefit from hosting the UN and UN Community in New York City and showcases how New York City supports this global community in its diverse metropolis.

About 16,000 people representing the UN community went to work every day in our global city. Their household spending, as well as operating expenditures, helped to create increased economic opportunities for all New Yorkers by sustaining local jobs and supporting local business.

The UN generates $3.69 billion in total economic output to City of New York's economy.

The 15, 890 individuals directly employed by the UN Community took home household earnings of approximately $1.64 billion. These household earnings and the operating expenses of the UN Community help to create and sustain 7,940 jobs for New Yorkers.

The UN issued over 30,000 accreditations for visitors attending meetings and conferences. These visitors, on average, stayed in New York City for 14 days and received an average daily expense allowance of $258. This spend supported an additional estimated 1,210 jobs in NYC.

New York City incurs costs supporting the UN Community, estimated to be approximately $54 million, including costs for security and education costs for staff members enrolling their children in public schools. However, even after taking account of these costs, the UN Community contributed approximately $56 million in net fiscal benefits to the City.

In 1946, New York City competed with cities from London to San Francisco to host the official headquarters of humanity’s greatest postwar hope. In the words of John D Rockefeller Jr., “New York is a center where people from all lands have always been welcomed and where they have shared common aspirations and achievements. It is my belief that the City affords an environment uniquely fitted to the task of the UN and that the people of New York would like to have the UN here permanently.”

The City of New York continues to agree.

Please click on the link or the image below to read and download the full United Nations Impact Report 2016. Please also visit www.edc.nyc/UNImpactReport2016 for additional information on data sources and methodology.

To hear Commissioner Penny Abeywardena on UN Radio speaking about the release of the UN Impact Report or to watch the press conference on the report launch where Commissioner Abeywardena is joined by Cristina Gallach, the Under-Secretary-General for Public Information and Peter Yeo, President of the Better World Campaign and Vice President for Public Policy and Advocacy at the United Nations Foundation, please go to UN Webtv.